Daniel ellis conner



(NoModeL) D. E. 'OONNER STATION INDIGATOE.

Patenta-ed No v. 10, 1896.'

Www

omz zm UNITED; STATES PATENT muon,

DANIEL ELLIS CONNER, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES STEFFEN, OF SAME PLACE.

STATION-INDCATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571301, datedNovember 10, 1896.

` Application filed .Tune 29, 1896. Serial No. 597.402. (No model.)

To cZZ whom it may conccrn:

Be it known that I, DANIEL ELLIS CONNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Station-Indicators, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanyiug drawings, in which- Figure l is a front View of my improved station-indicator Figs. 2 and 3, side views of the same; Fig. 4, a plan View of my contact-switch, and Fig. 5 a side view of the same.

My invention pertains to certain improvenents in station indicators especially designed for electrically-propelled railway-cars, and my purpose is to provide a novel, inexpensive, and reliable device Whereby stations on country lines and cross-streets in cities may be automatically and plainly presented to the View of all the passengers in a car.

The peculiar features and special advan tages of the invention will be apparent by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which A indicates the frame of the apparatus. Two spools or rollers 2 of suitable size are journaled in the frame one above the other. A fieXible belt 3, of suitable material, has its ends attached to the spools in such amanner that it may be unwound from one and transferred to the other when desired. The names of the Stations or streets are plainly printed or painted on the belt in their regular order.

It will be understood that When the apparatus is completed it is incased in a suitable box, which is fixed in a prominent position and has a sight-opening through which the names of the Stations may be clearly seen as they come successively into View during the progress of the car.

The spool-axles extend through the frame and are attached at one end to disks 4, which are provided at regular intervals near their peripheries with horizontally-proj ectin g studs 5. The opposite ends of the aXles carryplain disks 6, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. Two rock-shafts '7 are jour naled in the frame near the studded disks. Each shaft carries two arms 8` and 9. The

shorter arms are made of soft iron and op erate as arnatures for the electromagnets 10. The free ends of the longer arms are provided with pivoted pawls 11, which are adapted to engage the studs 5 when desired and move the spools at each impulse of the electromagnet. These magnets are placed in an independent circuit and are actuated by a current from the line-wire through a contact switch or wire to the trolley-pole and thence downward to the magnets, The said circuit is normally open, but is automatically closed at fixed intel-Vals by the said contact-switch, formed by a wire 12, the ends of which are provided with saddles 13, which are accurately fitted and soldered to the top of the main conducting-wire lt in such a manner as to avoid contact with the trolley-wheel 15. The extremities of the wire being perpendicular are first bent laterally a sufficient space to escape the path of the trolley-wheel, then downwardl y below the range of the same, and finally bowed inwardly in the center, as shown in Fig. et. It will be seen that a positive frictional contact is thus made with the trolleypole, which is provided at that point with a suitable device for closing the independent circuit hereinbefore mentioned. The electromagnet is thus brought into action, the armature and the adjacent arm are drawn up, the pawl 11 engages a stud, and the spool is moved a sufficient distance to bring into view the name of the next street or station. When a car reaches its destination, all that is required is to switch the circuit through the other magnet. The motion of the spoolsis thus reversed and the stations will be indicated accordingly on the return trip of the car. It will be observed that when the current is changed from one magnet to the other the pawls belonging to the idle disk are raised,

and held out of engagement by thumbscrews 16.

If for any reason it should be desired to change or adjust the belt from one spool to the other while a car is not running, the work may be easily performed by a crank 17. In order to prevent too free a movement of the spools and a consequent slackin g and derangement of the belt, I employ adjustable frietion plates 18, which engage the plain disks 6 and regulate the movement.

IOO

That I claim as new is In n station and street ndcator for electrcally-prope11ed mlway-cars, the combineton With the heren-described contact-switch and eleetronagnets of the Winding spools 01' rollers, the belt attached &tits ext'emities to the spools and having the names of the statons or streets prnted 01* painted thereon in regular sueeesson, the disks provided With studs as shown and attaehed to the outer ends of the spools, the Ve1.'te2t11y-swnging arms adapted to move in unison With the arnttures of the magnets and having pawls at their free ends to engage the studs, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose heren speci- I 5 fied.

I11 testimony that I claim the foregong I have hereunto set my hand, this 19th day of June, 1800, in the presence of witnesses.

DANIEL ELLIS CONNER.

Witnesses:

A. C. XVINTERMYER, P. MARINUs FERG. 

